In Our Opinion
Water is once again becoming a hot commodity in the area.
Although the winter and spring seasons were wetter this year than in the previous two years, the city of Cheney is preparing for irrigation season by asking residents and businesses to follow an outdoor watering schedule in order to maximize potable water pumping efficiency and maintain safe reservoir levels.
Cheney is enacting the same conservation methods it has in the past and we commend them for being proactive in asking residents to conserve water. However, with more multi-family development happening in the city, specifically as the expansion of the Eagle Point Apartments behind Cheney Middle School, we wonder why the city is asking residents to use less water, yet it is allowing more residential development. We’re also wondering what methods Cheney will undertake to make sure its system isn’t overtaxed like it was last summer.
When those apartments are finished and people occupy them, more water will be drawn from the system.
Cheney has enough water rights to accommodate the growth. The city uses two of its wells — Wells 1 and 2 — for most of the year and has enough water for general usage. Well 3 is not operational and Well 4 is used to irrigate Sutton, Moos and Salnave parks and is not on the city’s main water system.
When there are new developments, such as an apartment complex, are there ways for the city to charge developers a fee or require them to install drought tolerant landscaping if their project will have a significant impact on Cheney’s water system?
When Cheney enacted water restrictions in the past, residents were good about following them, even though it meant their lawns turned brown. The city cut back on watering its parks, as did the schools.
However, there may be some who are not as invested in the community as others, such as college students who may not follow the restrictions and overuse water by taking a 20-minute shower or washing their car.
Another big water users in the area is Eastern Washington University. While EWU is on its own water system, it draws water from the same basalt aquifer as Cheney, Airway Heights and Medical Lake. We’d like to see the university adhere to similar water restrictions that residents have to. It would show they are trying to be good partner to the community. Businesses are also some of the bigger water users in the city we’d like to see them adhere to the restrictions as well.
Cheney is not the only city on the West Plains participating in water conservation. Airway Heights is in the process of getting their larger water users on its reclaimed water system, which is treated to Class A-plus reclaimed water standards, which is drinking water quality. Could Cheney go the same route and use reclaimed water for its bigger water users? Another possible solution is the proposed pipe system that would irrigation-only water to the schools.
While the conservation methods are a step in the right direction, the water issue as a whole needs to be looked at and discussed.
Cheney outdoor watering schedule
Residents with odd-numbered addresses should water Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5 – 10 a.m. and 7 – 11 p.m. while people with even-numbered addresses should water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday during the same time periods. The city asks that businesses water Monday, Wednesday and Friday from midnight to 6 a.m.
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